How North Kashmir is fighting drug menace and is reclaiming its future 

A community once shadowed by addiction is rising through        

unity, resilience, and hope, grassroots heroes, silent struggles, and shared healing light the way. From mosques to Rehab Centres, North Kashmir is reclaiming its future.

By Sahil Manzoor 

X: @the_news_21

Srinagar: In the serene valleys of North Kashmir, where lush meadows stretch beneath snow-capped mountains and streams whisper stories of time, a different kind of struggle has taken root. It is not one of conflict, but of courage—a fight against the growing menace of drug addiction. For years, the scourge of narcotics crept into homes quietly, leaving families shattered and communities grieving.

But now, the people of North Kashmir are writing a new story—one of recovery, resilience, and relentless hope. Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora have been some of the hardest-hit areas, with growing rates of drug addiction among youth. Easy access to drugs, smuggling routes, and unemployment deepened the crisis.

Instead of surrendering to despair, people across these districts began to respond—not with silence, but with action. Mothers whose children struggled with addiction have become unlikely warriors. In villages, they gather in circles to talk, listen, and heal. They help others recognize early signs of substance use and offer support in quiet kitchens and public panchayat meetings alike.

For them, this is personal—not a campaign, but a mission to save the next child. In mosques across North Kashmir, imams now include powerful words of awareness in their sermons. The Friday prayers have become more than a call to faith—they are calls to action. By openly speaking about addiction, religious leaders have helped remove the stigma, encouraging people to seek help and support others in their recovery.

Local volunteers and NGOs have stepped in with determination and heart. Groups like Hope Alive in Sopore, Youth of Bandipora, and Sukoon in Kupwara conduct awareness drives, host counselling sessions, and provide peer support. Many volunteers are recovering addicts themselves.

Their stories are powerful reminders that recovery is not only possible—it is necessary. One such voice is Saqib, who once lived in silence and struggle. Today, he stands before classrooms, in hospitals, and at street corners, telling others: “I got my life back, and so can you.”

Rehabilitation centres are playing a vital role. The Addiction Treatment Facility at Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla has become a lifeline for hundreds. Nearly 1,300 patients have registered—about 900 currently undergoing treatment and over 100 already in remission. A special team works to reintegrate those in recovery, providing job support, vocational training, and ongoing counselling.

These are not just numbers—they are lives quietly finding their way back. The district administration of Baramulla has made the fight against drugs one of its top priorities. In 2024 and 2025, a series of strong, coordinated actions began to reshape the local response. In September 2024, a district-level coordination meeting brought together health officials, police, education officers, and local leaders.

Pharmacies were directed to adopt computerized billing systems to track drug sales, and public vehicles began carrying anti-drug messages on stickers and banners. The de-addiction centre in Sopore was ordered to be made fully functional, and officers were told to work hand-in-hand across departments.

In December, the focus shifted toward training and awareness. Teachers, Anganwadi workers, and ASHAs were prepared to identify signs of drug use. Workshops were held for parents, and health camps set up in both schools and communities. The message was clear: prevention starts with awareness, and every layer of society must be involved.

In January 2025, another district-level meeting pushed these efforts further. Special attention was given to involving youth—through sports, competitions, and debates—to give them healthier alternatives and purpose. That same month, a cycling rally was organized with girls and women riding from Baramulla to Kaman Post, a powerful symbol of strength and resistance against addiction.

Participants included students, local leaders, and even soldiers, all cycling under the banner of a drug-free Kashmir. Schools became spaces of safety and education. In Uri and Sopore, students attended awareness sessions that didn’t just speak of consequences, but offered real guidance on how to seek help, how to support a friend, and how to make better choices.

Teachers were trained to spot early symptoms, and follow-up support was made available through counsellors and local health workers. The administration also took strong legal action. By the end of 2024, nearly 200 drug peddlers had been arrested, with assets worth over 14 crore rupees seized.

Narcotics including brown sugar, heroin, cannabis, and poppy straw were confiscated. Targeted inspections were carried out at bus stands, roadside vendors, and market areas. But unlike past crackdowns, this one didn’t end with arrests—it was paired with rehabilitation. Those willing to change were offered help and a second chance.

Back at the Government Medical College, a new initiative began: identifying recovered individuals who are ready to return to work. A small but growing number—five so far—have been given training and job placements through government schemes. These individuals become role models, proof that life after addiction can be productive and full of purpose.

In April 2025, under the national campaign for a drug-free India, block level events were held in Nadihal, Pattan, Rohama, Noorkhah, and Rafiabad. Officials from various departments joined hands—health, social welfare, education, and police—all focused on one goal: preventing addiction before it begins.

Youth clubs and local sports teams have also risen to the occasion. From cricket tournaments in Rafiabad to street theatre performances in Baramulla town, young people are using their talents to spread awareness in ways that connect with their peers. Messages against drug use are woven into music, art, and social media, reshaping the way youth see themselves and their future.

In some areas, teachers and doctors have begun using mobile outreach vans to reach remote communities. Here, villagers receive leaflets, attend short films, and speak with medical officers in an environment free of judgment. These quiet interventions are building bridges, especially where fear and shame once closed doors.

Through it all, one thing has become clear—this is no longer just the administration’s fight. The people of North Kashmir have taken ownership. Village elders talk about addiction like they once talked about education or road repair. Shopkeepers keep an eye out for strange behaviour.

Young people organize street plays, songs, and sports events that carry strong anti-drug messages. It is not perfect. Relapses happen. There is still pain, still loss. But the difference is in the response. There is no more silence. No more shame. What used to be whispered behind closed doors is now spoken boldly in public.

What was once hidden is now confronted. North Kashmir is not simply fighting a drug problem—it is building a culture of healing. In every sermon, in every schoolyard, in every rehab centre, the message echoes: we will not lose another generation. The path forward is not easy, but it is lit with the power of community, the strength of belief, and the promise that even in the darkest of places, hope can grow.

As the sun rises over the hills of North Kashmir, a quiet revolution is unfolding—fuelled not by force, but by empathy, education, and collective resolve. This region, once shadowed by the silent spread of substance abuse, is now witnessing an awakening. Families are no longer suffering in silence; they are speaking out, stepping up, and standing together.

One of the most promising signs of transformation is the involvement of women. In towns like Baramulla and Kupwara, mothers are forming informal support groups, sharing their pain and strength with one another. These women are not only healing their homes—they are healing their hamlets.

Local teachers, too, have become front-line warriors in this battle, often going beyond the call of duty to identify and counsel at-risk youth. For them, a rescued student is more than a success—it is a saved future. And amid it all, those who once struggled with addiction are now leading the charge. Rehabilitated youth are stepping forward as peer mentors, guiding others through the same dark path they once walked.

Their voices, raw and real, are awakening a new sense of accountability among young people. North Kashmir is no longer fighting drugs in isolation. It is fighting with identity, unity, and unbreakable hope. 

About the Author: the author Sahil Manzoor can be reached at sahillone1m20@gmail.com